GRAMMAR - Grammar Checklist

Students studying a new language need to learn correct grammatical structures and usage, in addition to building vocabulary. Teachers of English as a Second Language, or ESL, recognize the importance of teaching their students the rules of English grammar. While dictionaries can help students find the meanings of words and identify parts of speech, teachers find it useful to provide a checklist for the basic rules of grammar.

Use of Checklists:
ESL teachers often use grammar checklists when reading and marking their students' written assignments. These lists help them to analyze the type of errors students make and the frequency of the errors. They can then tailor future lessons to the needs of the class. It's worthwhile for teachers to share these checklists with their students so they can proofread their own work and make necessary corrections as they become increasingly proficient in their acquisition of the English language.

Parts of Speech: Verbs
Verbs are particularly hard to master, and ESL students frequently make errors in verb tense. Grammar checklists should include looking for consistency in verb tense throughout a writing assignment, as well as subject-predicate agreement in each sentence. The infinitive form of verbs also presents difficulty for students learning English and should be added to the list.

Adjectives and Adverbs:
Correct usage of adjectives and adverbs should be included on the checklist, as ESL students frequently make errors with them. Learning the correct place in the sentence for these modifying words can be difficult, especially when more than one descriptive word is used to describe the noun or verb. Students also often forget to include the "ly" ending with adverbs.

Sentence Structure:
ESL students frequently make errors in sentence structure. Their teachers check for incomplete sentences or sentence fragments. Students also often write overly long, or run-on sentences, stringing together several main clauses. This potential error should also be included on the checklist.

Punctuation:
Correct punctuation, including periods, commas, colons, semicolons, quotation marks and capitalization all should be checked. The rules for commas, in particular, are hard for students at all levels. Students learn that what appears to be a minor error In the use of these conventions can confound the meaning of a sentence.

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